BackMake a difference in the lives of the low-income elderly
Article submitted by HealthSET. They can be reached at www.HealthSET.org
HealthSET is dedicated to improving the lives of the low-income elderly. Our highly-skilled and compassionate nurses and social workers provide free health clinics and substantial follow-up care, acting as a bridge to the complex health care and social service systems. We give our most vulnerable seniors the tools to live independently which is key to preserving their quality of life. The seniors we assist live in rent-subsidized high-rise buildings throughout metro Denver. A large percentage of the people we help live on only $600 or $700 per month.
HealthSET's free Health Promotion Clinics are offered to residents at 17 low-income senior high-rise buildings in the Denver metropolitan area. We serve approximately 700 individual seniors annually. Each month, our staff and volunteer nurses give seniors wellness assessments; monitor health problems; provide counseling; educate residents about nutrition and other good health practices; provide vision support; and provide referrals to other area health care resources. These clinics help seniors prevent diseases from escalating to the point where they will no longer be able to live independently.
For clients with complex needs, there is the Nurse Care Management Program. The program provides professional nursing, social work and volunteer assistance to support older adults as they strive to remain in their homes, cope with multi-faceted medical needs, psychosocial crises, and life transitions which require direct collaboration with health care providers and diverse community resources.
HealthSET goes to places that other organizations choose not to go and provides services in areas that others do not. John is a gentleman with multiple health problems and very little money. Our Nurse Care Manager discovered that a woman whom he identified as his "goddaughter" was stealing his money and his things, of which he had very few. John chose to be around this woman because of a desperate loneliness and desire to connect with other human beings.
Our Nurse Care Manager intervened by talking with John about the abuse, and by getting Adult Protective Services involved. She helped John take charge of his decaying health, one symptom at a time. And maybe more importantly, she provided for John a human contact, someone who cared about him and his well-being. The far-reaching effects of this intervention can be seen in John's welfare today, his lack of involvement with the abusive woman, and his health issues which are now getting resolved.